Woh Lamhe.....Scene 6

“Vikki don’t get angry but she had a troubled childhood. She was very upset from life. From her school days she had being an extrovert with strong athletic background always wanting to portray her as a strong character. We met in school as we were just aquatinted back then and suddenly one day I realised or came to know from different rumours sources that, she ran away.

We met again in Spain when I was studying there, she was also in the college and then we were roommates and she use to go home on weekends as her parents resided over there. I and she became good friends and then she started taking me to her home. In her home I found her father and his assistant Mya lived there. Mya was both his partner and assistant plus I never seemed to feel that Priya had problems with Mya. Mya was 10 years younger to Sumeet. We came to know from her that she was his student in the university where he taught architecture. At that she was into alcoholism and once Sumeet tried to make her understand her about her addiction, when he found her objectionable conditions. So to help her, he offered her to let stay at his place. And since they are house mates. And 10 years ago, they committed like couple and Priya was the one who brought them close. That day, I came to know the book of life named ‘Priya’

Priya’s mother Neeta was married to Sumeet under arranged marriage circumstances. Though Sumeet tried to adjust but Neeta was never happy. Their house was more of a war-front. And in amidst their problems, Priya was born and Neeta always saw her as liability or extra burden due to which she had to stay in marriage. It was when Priya was 5 when situation became non-bearable so they parted ways. As much both the parties wanted Priya was handed over to her mother and the same year Sumeet left for Spain as he got a job offer there. And within one year only, Neeta married to Mr. Shrikant R Iyyengar and there Sumeet met Mya in Spain.

But Priya’s life took a worse turn because Shri was not a nice person. He was flattered by the beauty of Neeta but didn’t want the burden of Priya and realising that Neeta herself was not much attached to Priya. He started torturing the little girl. She was kept in very bad conditions and especially after Shri and Neeta had a daughter, Chandini. Priya had no one to share her grief as she was not allowed to meet both sets of her grand-parents and was demonized about her father that he didn’t wanted her and she just a liability over everybody. So to cope up with that part, she channelized her anger and sorrows in sports and aced but then also, the ghosts of her life never left her. She was ill treated in home plus as she scored well in exams as she was brilliant student, she was forced by Neeta into many things, for them Priya became a trophy.

Things took a more severe turn when, she turned 13, this was the time I came into her life as classmate, she was psychology topper plus very good at games but now she started to develop as woman from girl and I must say a very beautiful lady. Shri now had hovering eyes over her and sometimes tried to physically and sexually advance towards her. Though Priya always saved herself from him but when she tried to tell Neeta this, Neeta only blamed her as that point that she has being into wrong sides. Neeta accused Priya of trying to seduce Shri and when she failed she is making up stories as she herself saw the truth but very conveniently believed the Shri’s side of bluff as she also had no love for Priya.  

Tired from all this she ran away from house one day and was somehow met Neeta’s parents who knew that Shri will try to get her back for his public image, so they somehow sent her to her parental grandparents who lived in Mumbai, from there she completed her 10^th exams but to keep her away from Neeta’s clutches, she was sent to Spin to her father.

Priya was 16, when she first met her father after 11 years, she had presumptions of him being a worse man but when she met him, she felt otherwise and after meeting Mya who told how he has being helping her since last 10 years, she understood that her father truly and sincerely loves her. Priya in turn made them a couple. As she realised that they both had romantic feelings towards each other but were shy to accept them.

It was 2008, at that time she was 21, when we met again and I became her best friend with all her life’s secret and then we both returned to India and stayed sometime in Manali for sometime around 2 years ago and then we settled over here and Priya since then is famous guide so is always in tour of India. After that her mother had again came onto her life with her over dominating nature that she should marry Naveen Chawla, her friend’s son and Priya’s childhood acquaintance. Though Priya wasn’t very sure but o get rid of her mother, she agreed to marry. As Priya’s maintenance judgement clearly stated that till the time she isn’t married her life’s decision would be taken by Neeta.

But what happened to that you also know and so it unwritten rule in Priya’s life t not to talk about Neeta or should say her mother. So now, she is free from her mother as now she has you as Mrs. Priya Vikrant Raina.

This the reason for sleep disorders plus she came to know from some sources that her mother is coming Panchgani to take her away, and that was the reason of her tension since last few days. She has a troubled childhood leading haunted dreams.”

Hearing all this he stormed to Priya’s room.